Home Shanti review: This watered-down family comedy is only watchable in parts

Disney+ Hotstar's new slice-of-life comedy series Home Shanti is about the Joshi family's efforts to build their dream home.

Sarla Joshi (Supriya Pathak) is an English teacher and the vice-principal of a government-run school in Dehradun. She is about to retire soon and her family is expected to vacate the teachers' quarters within ten months.

Her husband Umesh (Manoj Pahwa), a laidback poet, spends most of his time writing verses or listening to cricket commentary. Their daughter Jigyasa (Chakori Dwivedi) is a college student on the verge of adulthood and their youngest son Naman (Poojan Chhabra) is a good-for-nothing with a knack for creating chaos.

The six-episode show, helmed by Aakansha Dua, sees the family go through various ups and downs while trying to get their house constructed. Each episode throws up a new challenge, from finding the right architect to dealing with over-priced interior decorators and corrupt bureaucrats. Constant sibling banter also gives way frequently to serious altercations. 

Somehow amidst all this, the Joshis find a way around each roadblock, largely through Sarla’s resourcefulness and the support of their neighbours and the cordial contractor Pappu Pathak (Happy Ranajit). The one irritant is Sarla’s mother, who attempts to micro-manage everything via video calls.

This series immediately reminds one of the excellent SonyLIV family comedy Gullak. This might be a coincidence but there are definitely a few similarities that are not easy to ignore. Just like Gullak, this series depicts the daily problems and financial woes of a middle-class clan of four in a small town and the everyday altercations between siblings over petty issues and every episode ends with a voice-over.

But despite the makers' best efforts, this series comes across as a watered-down version of Gullak because it simply scratches the surface of this new genre while ignoring some important aspects that make such shows and films relatable.

For example, throughout the series, we never learn anything about the academic performance of the children. They are both are in the most significant stage of their academic phase. But there is not even a single mention of their student life, which is perplexing considering their mother Sarla is a teacher herself.

There is also a lot of inconsistency regarding the issues faced by the family. In fact, some of their problems are mere inconveniences created by their own actions. For example in the first episode, which is about the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony, which is carried out before beginning construction activities, we see the Joshi family repeatedly making silly mistakes such as Naman mistakenly eating chicken momos and Umesh wasting time watching IPL [Indian Premier League] matches which create some unnecessary problems with regard to the ritual. Because of such issues, the show fails to grab your attention even when it tries to impart life lessons on the crucial difference between wants and needs. 

The humour in the series is also hit and miss. The attempt to induce laughs using the constant silly banter between the siblings instantly becomes jarring because this doesn't bring new to the table. The characters also lack nuances, especially the kids, who are there just to add unnecessary humour to the plot.

Home Shanti is well-intentioned but too simplistic and doesn't leave you craving more after the finale. Because of this, it’s hard to grow fond of this family and to feel invested in their dream. This doesn't mean the show is unwatchable. It is definitely endearing in parts, especially in those emotional moments between the husband and wife. In fact, more than the humour, it's the emotional quotient that leaves a long-lasting impact.

Pahwa is, as always, great in his role and brings his A-game. He makes simple scenes endearing by adding some of his trademark innocence. His comic timing is also top-notch. Supriya Pathak is also in top form. She conveys her character's frustration and love for family with ease. Chakori Dwivedi and Poojan Chhabra are decent but their characters are quite poorly written. 

The series ends with a hint that we will get a second season and one wishes that the writers add some more depth to the two children.

Home Shanti is a kind of series that you leave on as background noise while you scroll through social media or chat with your friends on your phone. 

Home Shanti is being streamed on Disney+ Hotstar.